IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

Inspector-General Emergency Management

Debbie’s slow development and changing course revealed the high levels of capability of North Queensland’s local disaster management groups and their readiness to deal with such an event. All groups had recognised the importance of lessons and implemented learnings from previous events. This section focuses on the actions of five LDMGs – Townsville, Burdekin, Whitsunday, Mackay and Isaac – to draw out lessons for all. Substantial engagement with the community happens before every summer across Townsville, Burdekin, Whitsunday and Mackay. The aim is to tell the public about the season’s hazards, and how to get ready for them. There are indicators that the strategy worked: the extent of resident cooperation in evacuations, and the low numbers arriving at cyclone shelters and evacuation centres. The accessibility of evacuation maps on council websites also enabled effective movement out of communities. Townsville, Burdekin and Mackay local groups all communicated with residents in a variety of ways throughout the event: by door knocks, through radio, website, and social media. Most emphasised that the council website was the source of truth for the community, and provided additional information via their Facebook pages. Whitsunday went further towards social media and made clear that their point of truth was a dedicated Facebook page. The “Facebook approach” allowed easy and shared community feedback, and replies to it. Posts on the Mackay Regional Council’s Facebook site indicated some members of the community needed further information and struggled to understand the evacuation maps. The Facebook environment allowed other people in the community as well as council staff to respond, providing clarity where possible. Getting ready

Despite extended periods of power outages affecting communication, councils continued to push messages focused on service delivery, power outages, water supply, waste collection and clean-up activities via the Facebook pages and council websites as soon as they were able. Townsville The Townsville LDMG (Townsville group) convened for the first time in this event on Friday 24 March when the tropical low that would form into Debbie was within the monsoon trough off southern Papua New Guinea. Landfall was predicted between Cairns and Townsville some time from late Sunday to Tuesday. The Townsville group “leaned forward”, adopting the second highest of three levels of activation, and, in accordance with their governance arrangements, formally endorsed and appointed a new LDC. The Townsville group also put the LDCC on standby, ensuring it was prepared for activation. It used this lead-in time to test their Emergency Alert c messaging and maps were ready for its storm surge zones. On Saturday 25 March, the Bureau’s forecast put the cyclone crossing the coast south of Townsville the following Tuesday as a category 4 cyclone. Both the Townsville group and the LDCC adopted the highest level of activation and “stood up”. The evacuation sub-group of the Townsville group was also activated at midday. Its task was to plan evacuations for three cases, the most likely, least likely, and worst case. Evacuations take time to organise. In the lead-up to any decision, planners must allow for time to warn the community, time for those moving to get themselves ready, as well as the time to move to a safe place. When moving people en masse the time taken for all to get past a point is a further factor, as is whether movement will be in daylight or, more riskily, at night.

Date

North Queensland – TOWNSVILLE

22 March • Tropical low identified

• LDMG convened in Townsville • Burdekin local group starts meeting • Whitsunday LDMG leaned forward • Townsville LDMG leaned forward • Townsville Local Disaster Coordinator appointed • Townsville LDCC on standby

24 March

• Townsville LDMG stood up • Townsville Local Disaster Coordinator stood up • Townsville LDCC stood up

4.51am • BoM predicts crossing coast south of Townsville as category 4 on 28 March 10.00am • Low named as TC Debbie 6.00pm • Shute Habour pilotage area closed 12 midnight • Townsville LDMG evacuation sub-group activated Before 7.00am • Whitsunday LDMG moved to stand up 11:25am • Whitsunday red and orange zones advised to evacuate 5.22pm • BoM issued storm tide warnings 5.24pm • Burdekin chair directed voluntary evacuation to commence the following day 7.49pm • BoM issues cyclone track map for Townsville Late evening • Burdekin directs specific evacuations via EA of areas Morning • Bowen and Proserpine cyclone shelters opened 6.00am • Directed evacuation of Cape Cleveland, Cungulla and Cleveland Palms started 6.00am • Remaining Townsville red zone directed to evacuate 6.00am • Heatley evacuation centre activated 8.00am • Burdekin multipurpose facility opened as place of refuge 9.00am • Buses provided for the voluntary evacuation of Home Hill and Ayr to Cairns 10.11am • Whitsunday yellow zone evacuated Whitsunday islands and Airlie beach tourists commenced evacuation 11.00am • Townsville deemed outside the cone of uncertainty 11.47am • Mackay LDMG issued act and evacuate now EAs for Midge Point, St Helens Beach areas 1.37pm • Mackay storm tide advice worsened 2.00pm • Four places of refuge opened in Townsville 2.40pm • Mackay issued further EAs to prepare and act 6.00pm • Mackay LDMG advise sto evacuate now the Mackay area Between 5.00pm–12 midnight • TC intensified to category 4 off Whitsundays

25 March

26 March

27 March

Notes c. Emergency Alert (EA) is the national telephone warning system used by emergency services to send voice messages to landlines and text messages to mobile phones within a defined area about likely or actual emergencies.

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The Cyclone Debbie Review

Lessons for delivering value and confidence through trust and empowerment